Twisted Reality
by Shinjiteru2010
Summary: What would happen if Lenalee had escaped from the Order as a child amidst all of the painful and torturing experiments? Even more so, what would happen if the person who rescued her was none other than Tyki Mikk of the Noah Clan?  A TykiLena fanfic
1. Chapter 1

"Run! Run! Just come on...run!" She yelled to herself as she made her way away from the Black Order from which she had just escaped. Running as fast as her small legs could carry her, tears flowed from her cheeks without ceasing. Every muscle in her body ached but she knew that she could never go back to that place; she would surely be killed. She closed her eyes tightly, wanting it all to be a dream but knowing that it wasn't. She bumped into someone and fell back, shaking and crying, dirt covering her from head to toe. He looked her over. "Just take it! Take this cursed innocence, I don't want it!" She cried, shaking her head back and forth with her eyes closed, not even realizing who she was speaking to. The man stood there and kneeled down to her, looking her over.

"Innocence, eh?" He eyed her questionably. "You don't look like much of an exorcist."

"I'm not! I just..take it! Take it away before they find me!" She cried. "I don't want to go back to the Order, I don't want to, I won't!"

"Calm down." He held his hand out for her. "I won't send you back. But in exchange, you must give me your innocence and live with me and my family. She looked up at him. How could that be a fair exchange on his part? How could she even trust this man who she had just, unknowingly, spilled her heart out to. Still, she didn't have much of a choice. She closed her eyes tightly and nodded. "Well then..."

"L...Lenalee."

"Well then, Lenalee, I'm pleased to meet you. My name is Tyki Mikk and I am one of the Noah Clan." He reached his hand out to her and helped her up. Though she flinched at the very touch of another person, she stood up right away.

"T...The Noah...Clan?" She looked at him confused.

"I'll explain later. Shall we go?" She nodded nervously. Quickly, he used his ability as a Noah to phase through the ground with her in his arms.

{~}

Everything happened so quickly that he hadn't really had time to think. Sure, the girl was basically _begging _for her innocence to be destroyed but for him to make her stay with them, too? _**Oh well, **_he though, _**at least it will be fun for a while. **_

She sat quietly in the room where he had told her to remain until he returned. Sitting on something as soft as a bed was rare; she was usually gagged or tied down with tons of needles or whips around. She cried at the memory, remembering all of her friends who had died because of those "projects." Her whole body shook with the memories of the screams and the death all around her. She was sure that this paradise that she had been brought to would soon fade away and she would still be strapped to that insufferable "bed" and she would still have all of those needles and things protruding from her arms and legs. Waiting and waiting, though, she realized that this might just be real.

"Oi, girl, come with me." Tyki said as he walked through the door. Lenalee looked up and for a second, saw a flash of something evil in the man's eyes. Her eyes opened wide and she backed up on the bed, her whole body shaking in fear. Instead of being angry like she had expected, his lips curled up into a soft smile. Something she hadn't seen since she had been taken from her brother. He slowly moved over to her and sat beside her on the bed, making no sudden movements. "They did some pretty bad things to you, didn't they?" He looked down at her, the evil gone from his eyes, replaced by what seemed to be kindness. "That is the reason my family and I have fought against the Order for many, many centuries." He smiled a kind smile at her, though she looked at him with a mixture of what appeared to be shock and curiosity.

"Is that...is that why you're from the Noah Clan even though your last name...is different?" She said, cautiously getting closer to him. He smirked slightly.

"Yes, I suppose you could say that." He looked down at her and then stood up. "Would you like to meet the rest of my family?"

"Y...yes...I will." 


	2. Family Meeting

When they walked out of his room, she was very surprised by what she saw. Instead of seeing other rooms and hallways like she had expected to, they were walking on a stone road past pure white buildings with arches everywhere. She looked around incredulously.

"Ne, Tyki-sama…" Lenalee said. "Where are we? I've never seen a place like this before."

"This is the inside of Noah's Ark. My family has lived here for many, many years," he said, continuing to walk as he explained. "Have you heard the story of Noah's Ark?"

She thought for a second. "I think so…but it was a long time ago…I can't remember."

"That's okay. The Noah Clan is a Clan that is chosen by God to destroy everything evil in this world. Like the Black Order. If you ever get the chance to see an Exorcist fight, watch them. They claim that they do the work of God, but would God want this?" He pointed to all of the bandages that were now adorning the whole of her body.

"N…No…he wouldn't. At least, I don't think he would…." She looked up at him, seeing him now as some sort of angel sent to save her from the horrid place she was at. _If the rest of his family is like this, I'm sure we'll get along fine. _She smiled subconsciously.

"I know he wouldn't. Hey, I just thought of something," he said, putting his finger on his chin like he was contemplating something. "Have you ever had a piggy-back ride?"

"Um…when I was still at home with Nii-san…I think he let me ride on his back once…."

"How would you like a piggy-back ride right now?"

"Right now?" Her eyes lit up. "Okay!" He laughed a little as he kneeled down far enough that she could get on his back. She smiled as she locked her arms around his neck and he began walking again. She couldn't remember how long it had actually been since she'd had this much fun. "Tyki-sama…"

"Why is it that you're calling me so formally, Lenalee-chan?"

"You saved me, Tyki-sama…thank you."

He smiled softly, though she wasn't able to see it. Even though she was born an exorcist, he had a feeling that he was going to like this girl; after all, she had given up her innocence to get away from the Black Order, she had basically given up being an exorcist for the rest of her life. _It's too bad a human's life is so much shorter than a Noah's…._

Soon enough, they had reached a building with an intricately carved brown door. Lenalee looked up and, upon closer inspection, realized that these carvings were a slew of snakes. But what could that all mean? Whatever it meant didn't matter because she knew that it was beautiful.

"Tyki-sama, where are we?" She looked at the door again and then looked down at him.

"We're going to go into the family meeting room. Just stay quiet, be nice, considerate, and you should be fine."

"But Tyki-sama…you'll be with me, right? So you can help me." This put a small smile on his face. It really wasn't like him to help anyone other than his family.

"Yes, I suppose that's true." He kneeled down so she could climb off of his back. "Here you go." He turned the knob and what awaited her inside surprised her even more than before. The room was dark but there was a super long table with a pure white tablecloth adorning it. There were various pictures up on the wall, though she wasn't sure exactly what they were. Food sat all across the table with a couple candelabras as the only light. To one side of the table, there was a girl with short blue hair and the same gray skin as Tyki. On the other side, there were two adolescent-looking (and sounding) boys, one with long blonde hair and the other with short black hair. They, too, had the same gray skin and markings on their forehead.

"Um…hello." At her tiny voice, all three of the Noah's heads popped up.

"Tyki, is this the girl?" The other girl said.

"Yes, Road. This is Lenalee, a former exorcist."

"Now hang on! I was never an exorcist…" Lenalee said, knowing that she had never been treated like one at least.

"You possessed innocence, did you not?" Tyki said, looking down at her.

"Well…I guess I did…but…."

"Oh what does it matter what she was! She's simply adorable!" Road said, jumping up and getting ready to pounce on her. Quickly, Lenalee flinched and hid behind Tyki, Making Road smack right into Tyki's abdomen. "Hey, what was that for?"

"Road, please refrain from trying to grab onto her. I'll explain over lunch. Where is the Earl?"

"He's out on 'business.'" The boy with short black hair said.

"I see." Tyki pulled out a chair for Lenalee and then sat down beside her. After it was seen to that she had received enough food and the rest of the family was served, Tyki began his explanation of what had happened to turn Lenalee away from the order.

"You poor thing!" Road said in her childish voice. "See, I knew that place was evil…but experimenting on little kids. That's just unforgivable!"

"Hey! I am _not_ a little kid! Besides…you don't look much older than me…" Lenalee said the last part softly.

"I know she doesn't look it, but she's actually the oldest of the Noah Clan here," Tyki said. "See, Noahs don't age. We stay looking like the age we were at when our Noah cells woke up."

"Your cells? I don't understand…" Lenalee said with a frown. "Were they sleeping?"

"I see this is going to take longer than I thought." Tyki said, going into an explanation about the Noah family that she was now beginning to see more and more as angels instead of demons like the Black Order made them out to be.


	3. Time Skip

**10 Years Later**

She sat in her room in front of her mirror. Her hair had grown long in the past ten years since she had come to live with the mysterious, yet intriguing Noah clan. Brushing through it with the pearl-colored brush with small green beads adorning it that Road gave her for her last birthday, she thought about what they could be doing now. The day before, they had left for a new mission that the Millenium Earl had given them. She'd never once gone on a mission with them and when they were gone, she was lonely. Lulubell was around a lot, but she never really spoke with her and Skinn was far too violent and would probably try to pummel her if she even got close to him. The two others, Jasdero and Debitto, well they would probably spend time with her but they had always liked to goof off and they usually ended up getting hurt or into trouble. She wanted Tyki and Road back, the two who she had always felt closest to. Sighing, she slipped the brush into the drawer and stood up; it was about time for breakfast. She headed over to her closet and picked out a long black gown that had a green satin sash as a belt. It had always been one of her favorites; plain but beautiful.

Making her way out of her room, she navigated her way down the streets adorned with the white buildings that she had become so accustomed to. A few butterflies flittered past her and she was reminded of Tyki's tease butterflies. She smiled softly as she made her way down the paths to the meeting room. When she walked in, she saw Jasdero and Debitto in their normal spots with Lulubell sitting at the end of the table with Skinn at her left-hand side. She sat across from Debitto quietly.

"Hey, exo-chan!" Debitto said. "How come you're all alone?"

"I asked you to quit calling me that!" Lenalee said, though she had a hint of a smile playing at the corner of her lips. "Anyway, you of all people should know that Road and Tyki went off on another mission. I'm not sure when they'll be back."

"Lena-chan's lonely!" Jasdero laughed.

Lenalee sighed. She could see that, once again, she was not going to have a quiet meal where she could just think things over like she would like to have. Softly, she picked up her fork and knife and began cutting into the medium rare steak that was on the plate in front of her. She bit into it delicately and ignored just about every word that Jasdero and Debitto were saying. When she was finished, she stood up and dismissed herself. She was about to walk out the door when- _Smack! _She bumped right into someone.

"Sorry!" She said, taking a moment to gather herself.

"Well, well, why in such a hurry," came that familiar voice that she had been longing for since they had left.

"Tyki-sama!" She launched herself right into his arms. "I missed you!"

"We were only gone for one night this time," Road chimed in, sounding happy and somewhat amused. "You should be able to make it that long without seeing us."

"Well I…" Lenalee started.

"I think you should come with us next time." Tyki said suddenly. "I think that it's time you get to see this war for yourself."

"Really? You mean it?" She looked up at him with a hopeful expression. "That would be great!"

"But you need to be prepared, Lenalee. It's not a beautiful thing and you may be faced with your past again." At the mention of her past, Lenalee immediately sobered up and looked at him with a firm expression.

"I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm sixteen years old, I can handle it."

Though he wasn't sure about her declaration, he knew that she was going to face it sooner or later and sooner was definitely the better choice. Letting a sigh escape his lips, he nodded. "Okay. We'll get you prepared and we'll take you next time. Until then…" he put a hand on the top of her head and ran his hand through her hair, "just relax, okay?" He pulled her to him softly.

"Okay, okay," Lenalee said, feeling calmed by the touch of his hand. For some reason, it had always been that way. She couldn't stand being touched by anyone at all except for him, though she couldn't explain exactly why. His touch had always comforted her. Perhaps it was because he was the first one who had helped her after her escape from the Order and she had always felt safest with him. She sighed inwardly. No matter what it was, it didn't matter because he was here now and she was in his arms again and nothing could compare to the comforting, warm, tight, and somewhat unsettling feeling that she was feeling now.


	4. Revelation

That night, it was difficult for her to sleep. Tossing and turning, sleep could find no bearing in her overworked mind that now could only think of Tyki and the upcoming mission. Quietly, she climbed out of bed and slipped on her shoes. There was no use staying in bed if she couldn't fall asleep anyway. The sky outside of her room had never changed, it was still the light blue of the afternoon sky, though it was the middle of the night; it had always been that way here in the ark. She moved quietly, though she knew that either they wouldn't be awake, or they wouldn't pay any attention to her. Heading in the usual direction, she began making her way to the room where she knew she would feel better; Tyki's room. Gently, she knocked on the door she had come to know as a comfort.

"I'm coming," sounded his voice from the other side of the door. "So it's you," he said as he opened the door and looked down at the familiar face.

"Y…yeah. I couldn't sleep," she rubbed her eyes as she spoke.

"Is that so?" He smirked slightly. "You look pretty tired to have not been able to sleep."

"Well, it's just that…"

"It's okay, Lena-chan." He took her hand as he led her inside and sat her down on his bed. She felt safe in the familiar surroundings; she had been to his room many times before when she couldn't sleep. "What's bothering you this time?"

"Well it's just that…I uh…" she really didn't know how to tell him that all of her thoughts had been revolving around him.

"It's okay. You know you can tell me anything," he put a hand on top of her head and pulled her close. "Or is it that you don't trust me?"

"Of course I trust you!" She said, pulling away from him softly. "How could I not? You saved my life!" He sighed though his face held the smile that was always on his face when she was around.

"Then tell me what's on your mind. If it's about the new mission we are to go on, I assure you, I will be with you the whole time."

"Well…it's not only that, it's just…well…" she thought for a minute, trying to come up with the words she should use to describe such feelings that she had. Finally, she took a deep breath. "Every time I'm around you, I feel different, I feel safe. But when I'm not around you, all of my thoughts and dreams are about you, what you're doing, whether you're thinking of me, what you really think of me…I don't know what it means, it confuses me so much! All I know is that I never want to be anywhere when you're not there with me…."

Tyki, though slightly surprised by this sudden outburst, smiled softly down at this girl who had just poured her heart out to him. "Lenalee," he took her hands and their gaze met, sending chills through Lenalee's spine. Her face reddened in reply to his loving, caring gaze and she found herself moving closer and closer to him. They were so close that she could feel their breath intertwining as one. Finally, the time had come when he could show her his true feelings that he had, almost unsuccessfully, tried to keep hidden for so long. Her heart beat quickly, when suddenly Tyki had wrapped his arms tightly around her. Her face showed confusion but it was quickly swept away when his lips met hers, melting the world around them and all of her worries away. She closed her eyes, letting herself be engulfed by his touch, taste, and smell that was now her entire world.

Finally, he broke the long kiss, putting her at arm's length so that he could see her beautiful eyes that now glistened with both confusion and love. He stared into her eyes as he put his hand on the side of her face, softly caressing her cheek and down to her jawbone until his fingers closed around her delicate, dainty chin.

"Lenalee," he said softly, as if her name was the only word he could say at this moment, like she was the whole entire world to him. "No matter what happens from here on out, I love you."

Her eyes widened at those words as tears threatened to spill from her eyes. All of this time, the feelings she had towards him, all of the sleepless nights thinking of him. Love. That was the answer. She knew now that she would never be able to live without him, that he was the only thing that she ever needed. The prospect of that excited her, calmed her, and somehow even scared her.


	5. Completely Nuts

That night was one of the best of her entire life. She had laid beside Tyki all night long, being comforted by his loving and warm arms. Looking into his eyes, hers began to water, knowing that those eyes belonged to her and hers, to him. It comforted her, knowing that there was one person in this world who she could depend on for anything she needed, and now, she had finally begun to understand the feelings she had for him.

"Tyki," she said, "I love you." She said again, as if she liked saying it so much that it was like air to her. His lips curved up in his smile that only she had the privilege to see.

"Yes, I know, love. I believe you said that already," he laughed a little.

"Oh yeah….sorry" She smiled a little sheepishly as she nuzzled her head into his neck, feeling the warmth radiating from him. Her eyes began to get heavy, though she really wanted to stay up with him longer. Forcing herself to stay awake, she looked at him through tired eyes. Slowly, her eyes began to close as he softly pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Sweet dreams," he whispered. She nodded softly as she fell into the comforting blackness that was sleep.

_**This is wrong. You are making a mistake. **__She looked around, trying to find where the voice had come from, though there was only a white light surrounding her. __**You know that it's wrong, don't you Lenalee? **__"How do you know my name?" She yelled into the air, trying to make sense out of it. __**It's wrong to love something inhuman. Think about it, Lenalee. You've known from the beginning that it was wrong to come here….didn't you?**_

__"Shut up!" She yelled, when suddenly, she realized she was back in her bed with the blankets around her and Tyki at her side. He looked at her a little surprised and then his surprise quickly changed to worry.

"Lena-chan…what's the matter?" He sat up and put his arms around her.

"T…Tyki?" She looked at him and then blinked; realizing that what she heard was in her dream. "Nothing, nothing. It was just a strange dream, that's all." His arms were still around her, which made her feel somewhat better.

"Well what was it about?" He said, prodding her for information.

"You know, I don't even know what it was about. It was just so… strange…" she said, trying to find the right word to describe the dream. Rubbing her eyes that were still heavy, though she really wanted to go back to sleep, she stood up. "I'm going to get a shower…I'll probably feel better after that."

"Okay." After a second, a smirk crossed his face. "Shall I join you?"

"Tyki, you perv!" She yelled. "No!" She turned and made her way into the bathroom and once she had the door closed, she began to laugh a little at Tyki's request. He always had a way to make her feel better, no matter what happened before that. Still…the words of her dream weighed on her mind heavily. "Was it…about him?" She whispered to herself. Sighing, she undressed and stepped into the shower, letting the hot water slowly melt away all of her worries. The water ran over her unmoving body and the steam built up in the shower. She must have taken quite a while because what snapped her out of her daze was Tyki's voice.

"Lena-chan! Are you okay?" He knocked on the door, waiting for a reply after his fifth time of yelling her name.

"Ah, yeah, I'm okay! Sorry!" She turned the knobs to make the water stop flowing and she stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her.

"What's going on, Lenalee? I yelled your name over and over again."

"I…didn't hear you is all." She sat down on the bed, avoiding eye contact with him.

"Lena-chan, I know that's not true." He sat beside her and put his arm around her. "I can tell there's something wrong. What is it?"  
"I just…this is all happening so fast. One minute…we're a family like usual and then…I realize that I love you and it's like everything is changing!" She leaned into the arm that was secured tightly around her.

"Lenalee, it will be okay. You're just a little confused right now," he lifted her chin so she was looking at him and his lips touched hers softly. "I love you, remember that. You can tell me anything you need to." She nodded.

"Yeah. Thanks, Tyki." She turned so she could hug him and he held her tightly for what seemed to be forever. Softly, after a nice silence, Tyki leaned back and looked at her. Sweeping the hair out of her eyes, he smiled at her.

"Hey, instead of going out today, why don't we just stay in here? Just the two of us. No stress, no family, just us."

"Okay. I like the sound of that." She smiled as she laid back on the bed, forgetting that she had only worn a towel out of the bathroom.

"Sweets, as much as I would love to see you without that towel on," he smirked slightly, "you may want to change."

Her face turned about every shade of red and she ran back into the bathroom so she could change. Tyki smiled as he laid on the bed looking up at the ceiling. Since when did he become so gentlemanly towards people? If that had been any other beautiful girl, he might have just tried to make a move on her, especially if that girl had just confessed her love to him. He sighed a little and then spoke to himself:

"I am completely nuts."


	6. The Noah's Ball

It was well into the day before Lenalee jumped up in a panic. "The Noah's Ball! I completely forgot! Tyki...we need to get ready!"

"I thought you wanted to stay here," he said with a smile that was a mixture of playfulness and disappointment. After a moment, though, he decided not to play around and to be serious. "I know, Lenalee. Our presence is required there so we must go." He pointed to two big closet doors. "There's a ball gown in there that was specially made for you for this day.

"For me?" She ran over to the closet doors and pulled them open. Inside was a black bag on a hanger. "Is this it?"

"Take the bag off of it, dear."

Lenalee stuck her tongue out at him and opened the bag. Inside was a beautiful satin green dress. It was dark, so dark it was almost black but where the light hit the fabric, it was a brilliant array of colors. The sleeves were short, almost straps and the length of the dress reached the floor. There were black roses and tiny feathers adorning the bottom of the gown and only the roses around the waist.

Her eyes opened in awe of the dress. Could she really look good in something like this? She slipped the dress off of the hanger and stared at it for a few more seconds.

"It's not going to climb onto your body, I'm afraid, sweetheart. Or have you forgotten how to dress yourself," a bit of a smirk played at his lips.

"Oh...just shut up, I can dress myself!" Her face began turning red at the thought of Tyki dressing her.

"You better not have forgotten how to dress yourself!" A girl's voice chimed from the doorway. "Because you need to be ready in a half an hour and there's a lot to do! What have you two been doing all day?" Tyki rolled his eyes at Road's chiding words.

"Since when do you act like an adult?"

"Hey! Whatever, come here Lenalee." Road pulled Lenalee into the bathroom and slammed the door shut, leaving a sighing Tyki behind.

Once in the bathroom, Road sat a large bag on a stand. "These are your accessories. Gloves, hair pieces, shoes, everything. Now go ahead and get changed. I suppose you have no arguments to getting dressed in front of another girl."

Lenalee shook her head and began to undress herself, still eyeing the dress that would soon adorn her body. When she was fully naked, Road slipped a corset on her and tightened it so tight Lenalee swore her lips were going to turn blue from the lack of oxygen.

"I can't...breathe...Road..." Lenalee managed to say.

"You'll get used to it. Small breaths." Lenalee would put the dress on, followed by the gloves and shoes. Road commanded Lenalee to sit on a chair so that she would be able to fix her hair. She began pulling hair in every direction, a ribbon here, hair clip there.

When she was finally finished, Lenalee was allowed to look into the mirror for the first time since Road began her work. The girl she saw in the mirror looked so grown up, so beautiful and innocent. Road pulled out one more accessory; a black chocker with a black rose hanging off of it. Quickly, Road put it around Lenalee's neck and fastened it.

"There, you're ready. Now go show Tyki how good of a job I did!" She practically pushed Lenalee out the door. Tyki stood in his normal tuxedo and hat, which Lenalee had no opposition to. She grew to love that tuxedo and it did suit him very well. The one difference was that tonight, he too had a black rose pinned to his lapel. Come to think of it, Road had black roses around her neck. Before she had a chance to ask why, Tyki's eyes captured hers and then they traveled down her body, looking over every detail and making Lenalee fidget.

"Is..it not good...enough. I can change-"

"You're beautiful," Tyki said with more sincerity than she's ever heard in his voice. Without another word, he pulled her into his arms and she savored his sweet scent. He always smelled so good...though she could never put a finger on exactly what he smelled like.

"Come on you love birds, we've gotta go." They all walked out the door, Tyki and Lenalee holding hands. Suddenly, Lenalee felt more like a part of the Noah family than she ever had before. She felt like she belonged, her grip on Tyki's hand tightened and he looked down to her. Their eyes met and were locked on each other for a few moments before road let out a sound like clearing her throat to signal their arrival at the ball room.

Tyki, like a gentleman, opened the door for her and she nervously walked in. Every eye in the ballroom turned to see the new addition. She could hear whispering and she was starting to feel uneasy with all the whispering until Tyki took his place beside her, holding her hand like he properly should.

"Everyone, tonight I am proud to present Lenalee. She will be the newest addition to our family." Tyki's voice rose above the rest and the unmoving people began to clap and a couple cheers could be heard. "This is your ball, dear," he whispered in her ear. "This is all for you." Her eyes widened.

"For me?" She seemed shocked.

"Yes for you," the voice she heard this time was not that of Tyki's, but of the Earl's who had just made his way to greet the three of them. "This is your first Noah family ball, and the first night that you are officially recognized as one of the clan."

"The...clan...me?" She blinked and looked up at Tyki who returned her shocked look with a smile.

"Lenalee," Tyki said, his face returning to it's normal expression. "Surely you know how special you are," he brushed a loose piece of hair behind her ear. "You are one of us, and you will begin tonight."

She wasn't sure what they meant, but she decided to take it as a declaration of how happy they were to have her there. She was so happy, so touched that tears were forming in her eyes.

"Lenalee, what's wrong?" Road said, peeking around Tyki. "You look like you're going to cry."

Lenalee simply shook her head. "I'm just so happy, that's all."

"Now, now," the Earl held his hand out to her. "Take my hand, you mut be introduced to the guests properly." The Earl took her away, leaving Tyki and Road standing together at the entrance.

"You love her," Road teased, expecting a glare or a retort from Tyki but instead she recieved nothing.

"More than I ever thought possible," was his only response as he, too, began to join in with the crowd. He knew that tonight would be a hard night for her, he only prayed that she would live through it.

Road stood, stunned at Tyki's words. She had never seen him express a desire for anything the way he did for Lenalee. Why was that girl so special to him? Was it because he practically raised her? She couldn't figure it out. But whatever the reason was, he was completely in love with her. Road's thoughts were the same as his, and it was also the reason that Tyki had been avoiding his emotions as much as he was able to. If she didn't survive the transformation, it wouldn't matter. He wouldn't have her at all and the thought was unbearable to both of them. Time would only tell.

The music began playing and so dancers waltzed onto the dance floor. Tyki made his way to where the Earl was introducing Lenalee to an older looking woman. "Excuse me," Tyki said as he gave a slight bow and held his hand out. "May I have Lenalee for a dance?"

"Yes, you may. She is yours," the Earl placed Lenalee's hand in Tyki's. "You two go have fun. Oh, and Lenalee. Best not be late like Cinderella. Twelve o'clock you must be in your room."

"O...Okay," she said, a bit confused. Tyki took her to the dancefloor and held her close around the waist.

"My darling, you have no idea what happens tonight. Do you?"

"Tonight? No...I don't." She looked up at him, though it was difficult with their bodies pressed so closely together.

"It's just like we said before. You become one of us." He pulled her away to arms length and ran a finger across her forehead and down to her chin where he held her face up to look directly at him. "What is it about you that completely intoxicates me?" He decided that tonight was the night. Either he showed her his true feelings now or he may never have the chance. Reaching around her, he pulled her close again and pulled her into a long and passionate kiss.

When the kiss ended, Lenalee was completely shocked. She couldn't bring herself to look away from him. Her whole life since she had began living with them, this is all she wished for and now it's happened.

"Tyki..."

"Lenalee, I love you. I truly do, more than I have ever loved anyone. You need to know that, please remember that."

"How...could I forget...after that?"

His normal smirk reappeared on his face for a moment. "Oh? You liked it that much?" He glanced at the clock. It was ten thirty. She had an hour and a half and she didn't even know what was going to happen to her. "Darling, let me explain something to you. Tonight, you become a Noah. It will be painful, it will be the most painful thing you've ever felt in your life, but I will be there with you."

"What...do you mean?"

"Lenalee, you've got the gene inside of you and it will awaken tonight. This ball is your transformation ceremony, if you will. This is your last night as a normal human, you really will be one of us." He held both of her hands and tried to reassure her with his eyes. She looked so frightened, so unsure. If he'd had a warning the night he turned into a Noah, he probably would have had the same look on his face. "I will be with you the whole time, from beginning to end. I promise you that, my darling."

She got close to him, pressing against him and putting her face on his chest. It was true, she was scared. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad if she had him with her, maybe it wouldn't be quite as painful. He wrapped his arms around her and they stood there in silence.

"Darling, are you scared?" She nodded her head to Tyki's question. He looked down at her again, the two of them looking into each other's eyes. He kissed her again, making her eyes close and her mouth open invitingly. He took advantage of her open mouth and deepened the kiss. Nothing had ever felt so good. To have her, to be with her in this moment with his arms around her and hers around him, to know that out of every person that she had chosen him. It was the best feeling in the world. Now they waited until the time would come for her to assume her transformation. It was a little over an hour away, a time that seemed like an infinity for both of them to wait. But it would come, and in that moment, it would decide the rest of their lives.


	7. New Life

His words left her shocked. She would be a Noah? But...as happy as it made her, how could it be true? She had possessed innocence as a child, surely she couldn't have both, right? She looked at the clock that now read 11:15. Forty five minutes and her life would be changed forever.

"Tyki," she said, "how is it that I was born an...exorcist, but I'm going to be a Noah?"

"Sometimes, darling, those who would be chosen as Noah are born possessing innocence. It's only those who give up their innocence who gain their rightful Noah gene. Road is the one who predicted that you would be changed tonight and she is not often wrong about these things." He put a hand on the side of her face, her purple eyes looking up into his. "Do you not want to be a Noah?"

"N...no! It's not like that at all. I do want to be a part of your family. I was just confused."

"Darling, it will be okay. You'll still be the same old you. I promise. You'll just have a few more powers is all. Lenalee, come with me." He held a hand out to her. "We don't have much time before your transformation, I think it would be okay if we left a little early."

She took his hand and followed him out the door that they arrived through. She had expected him to take her to his room like he always had, but he had started walking in a different direction. She looked around, all of the white buildings had begun to look the same. She had never been in this part of the arc as long as she'd been living there, she always stayed where she knew she wouldn't get lost. Finally, they came to a halt in front of a wooden door.

"Where is this place?"

"This is where we'll stay tonight and tomorrow," he pushed the door open, revealing a much different room than Lenalee expected. The bed was huge, the covers were dark as were the pillows. Everything that was fabric was dark, including the stack of towels sitting by the bed. It was a beautiful room, but it was simple. Tyki led her to the bed and pulled the covers down, revealing black sheets. "Trust me, everything should be dark." And everything was once he shut the door. The only light they had was from a small candle sitting on the stand by the door.

"Why?" She slipped her shoes off and sat on the bed.  
"No, no darling. You must take the dress off if you want it to be saved. Don't worry, it's dark, I won't be able to see your body," she could hear the normal playfulness in his voice.

"I...it's not...like I care or anything..." she would slip the dress off but still instinctively cover herself with her arms and she would lay in the bed. It was ten minutes to midnight, not much time left now. Tyki sat on the bed beside her and she could hear the sound of water. It sounded like a rag being rung out into a metal pan. Before she could ask what it was, she felt something like liquid running down her forehead and just like that, the pain started and she was no longer in that room. She was in agonizing pain, so much that she screamed and writhed in the bed. What was running down her forehead? Was it...could it be...blood?

"Shh, darling it's okay," Tyki's voice could be heard trying to calm her, but it didn't work. The pain was too much, was this what it was going to feel like? She was sure that she would die, there was no way she could live through this. Her eyes felt as if they were being plucked out, her head felt like it was about to explode and now that feeling was traveling to her chest, down through her abdomen and her legs. "It's okay, the worst is almost over darling." He laid a cold rag on her forehead, the blood from the forming stigmata soaked through it and turned it warm. "Darling, cling to my voice. It's alright. I am right here waiting for you. Don't think about the pain." He took her hand, this was more pain than any of the others who had gone through the transformation. He hoped that it had not meant that he would lose her...he couldn't bear the thought and so he only held her hand tightly, grasping at both her body and her life. "Please Lenalee, listen to me."

His words cut through the pain and she could now grasp onto something other than the sickening pain that was coursing through her veins. The pain changed into another feeling, her body felt stiff but...powerful. It felt different and once the pain ceased, her body relaxed and her breathing became shallow.

"T...Ty..ki..."

"Shh, darling." He removed the cloth from her forehead and dropped it into the pan of water, revealing the stigmata that was now on her forehead. "Just rest now."

"But..." Tyki put a finger on her lips.

"Don't speak. Just listen to me. I won't leave you, I'm right here like I promised. Now sleep." Without another word, she let herself relax and she fell into a dreamless sleep as he watched over her. The door opened and shed light on the two, Lenalee's skin now gray like Road's. Road walked over to her quietly and looked her over.

"Tyki," she whispered, "she's naked!"

"I know, shhhh. You're going to wake her up if you're not quiet." He pulled the covers up over her. "She's really tired."

"Ty...ki..." Lenalee's voice made them both look down at her. "It's so bright in here..." she forced herself to sit up with her now gold eyes squinted.

"Darling you shoud sleep," Tyki put a hand on her shoulder softly.

"But I'm...not tired." She felt her head and she looked down at her skin. "My...skin..."

"Yes, cutie. You're one of us now, remember?" Road smiled her childish smile up at her.

"Yeah...I know." She flexed her fingers in front of her. Everything felt...different. She felt great, like she had all the power in the world.

"Come on, darling. If you're not going to sleep, we might as well walk." He took her hand. "Though...you may want to get dressed first."

Lenalee, who normally would have blushed and ran into the bathroom, just looked in the bathroom where there was an outfit already hanging on the door. She changed into the dress that was designed just for her. It was short, reaching only to the top of her thighs and she wore black thigh high leggings. The choker that she had worn to the ball was laying on the sink. Tyki must have sat it there earlier. With a smile, she put it around her neck again and took a look at herself in the mirror. Her color and her eyes had changed but she like it. It seemed to suit her. She ran out of the bathroom, eager to be back in the room with Tyki.

"Tyki!" She ran out to him and landed right in his arms. He had been right, she felt like herself but different. Nothing would change how she loved him, though.

"Yes, darling?"

"I want to go somewhere. Anywhere." She smiled up at him. "Take me somewhere."

"As you wish, my darling." He smiled down at her. "Go wait for me outside, I'll be out in only a moment."

"Okay!" She walked outside without a moment's hesitation to wait for him. Quietly, he placed a small box inside his pocket. Road crossed her arms and looked at him.

"Tyki-"

"Shh." He walked past her and out the door to meet the new Lenalee. "Are you ready, darling? I'm going to take you somewhere special."

"Special?"

"Yes. I'm going to take you somewhere not in the ark."

"S...somewhere not in the ark?" She looked up at him with glistening golden eyes.

"Yes, you deserve to see the world now. You've got nothing to be afraid of."

"But what about... the Order... and the exorcists?" Her eyes showed fear but also excitement.

"Darling, you've got to face the world sometime. Besides, I won't leave your side and now you've got the powers of a Noah as well. It will be okay, I promise."

"Okay...as long as you don't leave my side for one second."

"Of course not, darling. I'll be with you the whole time, now let's go." He took her hand. With that, he led her out of the ark for the first time since she had been found running from the order.


End file.
